Wheat-Free

Well I went to the doctor yesterday because I can barely stand the itching anymore (I've said that before yes?). Anyways, this is my new doctor (been seeing him for about 6 months when needed) and he took one look in the affected area and named it something and said that I have an allergy to something. In the medical world they always start with eliminating wheat and beer first as they are generally the top contendors. Since beer isn't a problem for me, wheat it is. I have taken it one step further and eliminated fruit EXCEPT bananas. That's my personal choice because I've occasionally over the years wondered if apples have affected the severity of the itching or not but never been disciplined enough to eliminate them -long- enough. I love fruit so incredibly much that I chose to keep bananas only so that when I start to add things back in (one at a time) I will have an idea as to what may or may not be the problem. I am on this restricted diet for 3-4 weeks starting this morning. I am hopeful that it will cure my problem! If it doesn't it should at least give me that kick start to eating healthy again (and bonus would be to lose a few lbs!)

Wish me luck :) Today I have wanted everything I can't have because I can't have it LOL oh the joy of our minds.

Nothing to say but want to blog

I actually don't have anything to really say but feel like I just want to write something! :)

So lets see where my babbling takes me. This past week my baby has been sick with fever and ear infection. It's terribly sad watching a baby be sick! As a mother we want to anything and everything we can for our babes and when there's nothing you can do it's devestating! He's finally on the mend but still not 100% so i'm taking him to our family doctor this evening for a check up.

What else...I ordered my Christmas cards! Yup, just need to get my letter printed and then I can have those out probably early November (I'm an overachiever! lol).

I love Shutterfly! I ordered my dad's gifts on it this year (I always make him a calendar and then I ordered a second photo gift for his office) - thankfully I have my dad's name this year! But the other thing I love about Shutterfly is that i'm trying something new with them. I am making photo books from their website. Basically I am an old school photo-printing kind of girl. I take pictures, then I develop them! So in Michael and my 5 years married we have an entire book shelf FULL (and part of a second shelf now) of photo albums. Realistically space wise I can't keep up with the rate we take photos and the albums they fill. I'll have 50 albums by the time my kids graduate highschool or college! So, after a trial run with our California trip (and alot of learning curves with the finished product), I have decided to do a photo book (or two depending) each year. I started in May of this year so this album will be labelled MAy -December 2012. Basically as I take photos I upload them right away into Shutterfly and right into the photobook. Many people often say they never develop because it's to overwhleming, but my friends, just doing it as you take them is not overwhelming at all! It takes an additional 10-15 minutes (depending on the volume of photos) which no one can tell me they don't have!
My only downside that I have found is that I feel like I am on edge when my kdis are flipping through them because if they rip a page there's not alot I can do - tape it up I suppose, but that doesn't look as nice. Photos in an album don't get ripped in the same way. AND, I often go into an album looking for a photo but I can't "take it out" - I will have to exert a little extra effort and a few cents and have it developed if I need a picture for a specific use.
Cost wise it actually works out to be the same (so long as you are smart with your picture placement in the photobook). It generally costs me for the album (that holds 300 photos) and prints: $100. That is the same cost as a photobook, and I can hold WAY more photobooks on a shelf than I can albums.
Another concern I had was that I can't have all my pictures as a 4x6 size, and I didn't want to make thumbnail sized photos of all my memories (to keep the photobook costs down), but have no fear! That's not the case at all. I choose to do all my photo books 12x12, and I do a minimum of 4 pictures per page (4x6 size approx) and then I only do "smaller" photos of those various photos that I like the memory but I don't need a large photo of (ex: when we went to the disneyland parade I put 10 images on one page of all the different characters that were in the parade - I don't need a centerfold of captain hook! lol). So as of right now i'm excited for the prospect of photo albums over the years to come :)
What abotu my kids? No they can't have my albums (until i'm dead) but I can make them their own of the highlights of their lives when they're older :) Oh the opportunities!

Well that's all I have for the day - my blogging desire is satisfied! Have a good day!

PS. We have a new "pet" - a venus fly trap plant. It's kind of neat - I need to research more in order to keep it alive ha ha

My Garden

When we moved into this house we were lucky to purchase a PIE lot, which gives us a huge backyard, and big spaces between our homes. The previous owner built raised beds all along the side of the house along side the -unfinished- sidewalk into the backyard. There is 4 raised beds, all large enough to hold two rows of -something-. My neighbors said this year was the first year they saw anything being grown in it because they moved before they used it.

This was an experimental year. I didn't treat the ground or do anything to it. At first glance the soil appeared rich and it wasn't terrible, but I just decided to plant and see what came of it, so then i'll know what is needed for next year. We have been eating from our garden for about a month (half of the stuff anyways), and today Logan and I harvested the remaining items because it's starting to get colder and colder at nighttime.

I planted peas (2 rows), butternut squash, green beans, carrots (2 rows), red onion, potatoes, and something else but i'm drawing a blank. It'll come to me!

I didn't get any butternut squash and half of my onions grew to be only about an inch in diameter. My peas did really well (not as well as our house in West Terrace), however my peas didn't last long. We got about 3 good picking off of them, and then they got covered in a white film which i've discovered is either a fungus or a soil problem. Soil treatment should solve the problem for next years crop. My carrots did fantastic! I say that because last year in West Terrace I did a whole row, but did not know to thin them out and they barely grew past an inch in length. This year we got lots and lots - but still many tiny ones. Next year again, I have learned alot and will be able to thin appropriately (also the soil was pretty tough so that may  have been a factor also). Lastly my potatoes. I got about 3-5 per hill all a decent size. I did white potatoes and they're delicious.

All in all I LOVE gardening. Yes there are bugs and no I don't love that part of it, but I love thinking 'gee what should we have or supper?' and walking outside my door, picking food, and eating it. It's really quite rewarding!

I'd like to try pre starting some of my seeds next year, however I don't really have anywhere to grow indoors, so sadly at this point in time my garden will be the basics as you saw above.

OH! I remembered what else I grew! LETTUCE. lol. I picked what was suppoed to be a nice crunchy lettuce, and it sort of was, but my lettuce just got way out of control! Growing faster then I could eat it, and to be honest we tossed 3/4 of it because it was a slightly bitter lettuce. Tasted great mixed with romaine, etc, but  next year i'll try and actually find Romaine lettuce to grow.

Needless to say, learned lots, looking forward to learning more! :D Glad my parents taught me how to garden (or at least made me help them garden as a child) because it surely made a world of difference in my attitude towards it and my interest in it! Logan really enjoys helping me plant and dig up, so I'm going to continue encouraging him to assist me and eventually give him aweed pulling chore, etc.

Hooray for gardens!

Weening

As of today I decided to ween Carter. Last night he slept 12 hours through the night. Then at church I was sitting there thinking 'gee, Carter hasn't nursed for 18 hours' and thought, may as well ween him - since i've been looking for an good time to do it.

Logan weened himself at 11 months so that was super easy. Carter not so much. Carter still is nursing at bedtime and naps most of the time (but not all the time - 2 or 3 times a week he goes down by Michael)...so I had Michael put Carter for his nap and then nursed him at 3:30 this afternoon (21 hours since his last time) just to relieve my chest a bit - it was just at tha ttime starting to feel 'full'. he obviously wasn't drinking much!

anyways, I'm so done nursing. I commend anyone who goes past a year, but it's certainly not something that interests me and it physically makes my body feel weird! This is scary for me. All I know and am familiar with is Logan's horendous sleeping habits and i'm afraid to ween because at the same time I have to sleep train Carter as he nurses to sleep for his nap and bedtime. He is capable of going to sleep on his own as he has done it on occasion (painfully) before - so I know he will transition but i'm still deep down (and not so deep down) scared he won't!

Wish us luck!

Signed,
Scared Mama!

September is finally here

September goal:
Monday: Zumba 7:15pm
Tuesday: Boxing 7pm
Wednesday: Women's only boxing 6pm
Thursday: quick fit lunchhour boxing 12pm (noon)

Food: cut all refined sugars and fruit (minus my morning banana) for 2 weeks (and thus flour/wheat)

Why? I want to work out because it's healthy and makes me feel good. And I want to cut the junk because of two reasons. 1. Because it is healthy and makes me feel good, and 2. because I still am suffering from my mystery itch which I suspect is still parasites which feeds off of sugars so I am experimenting by eliminating it combined with my supplement.

Wish me luck!

easily offended

Two weeks ago in church there was a lesson given on offense - and not taking to it so easily. This really hits close to home to me because I am easily offended by a handful of members of my family and their lack of interest in mine and Michael's life. I am not asking for a best friend but I would like to know that they care about us which is not portrayed in their actions in the slightest.

anyways, As I said, I am for some reason easily offended by them. Maybe I want them to like me? I do often need that from people. But I don't think that's it in this case... I have to try so incredibly hard to bite my tongue and not say something rude to them - maybe I find them challenging? I so desperately need to learn how to love them without judgement which I find incredibly difficult! It's my big challenge in life I guess...judgement. And what goes hand in hand with that is forgiveness.

Here's an excerpt from a talk by David A Bednar from an Oct 2006 conference talk that it is a nice reminder for me (especially after a year ago I blogged about anger being a choice, why would not all emotions fall into this same category right?:

Choose Not to Be Offended

When we believe or say we have been offended, we usually mean we feel insulted, mistreated, snubbed, or disrespected. And certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean-spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However, it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. Indeed, believing that another person offended us is fundamentally false. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else.

In the grand division of all of God’s creations, there are things to act and things to be acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:13–14). As sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, we have been blessed with the gift of moral agency, the capacity for independent action and choice. Endowed with agency, you and I are agents, and we primarily are to act and not just be acted upon. To believe that someone or something can make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or bitter diminishes our moral agency and transforms us into objects to be acted upon. As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation.

Thomas B. Marsh, the first President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in this dispensation, elected to take offense over an issue as inconsequential as milk strippings (see Deseret News, Apr. 16, 1856, 44). Brigham Young, on the other hand, was severely and publicly rebuked by the Prophet Joseph Smith, but he chose not to take offense (see Truman G. Madsen, “Hugh B. Brown—Youthful Veteran,” New Era, Apr. 1976, 16).

In many instances, choosing to be offended is a symptom of a much deeper and more serious spiritual malady. Thomas B. Marsh allowed himself to be acted upon, and the eventual results were apostasy and misery. Brigham Young was an agent who exercised his agency and acted in accordance with correct principles, and he became a mighty instrument in the hands of the Lord.

The Savior is the greatest example of how we should respond to potentially offensive events or situations.

“And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men” (1 Nephi 19:9).

Through the strengthening power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, you and I can be blessed to avoid and triumph over offense. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them” (Psalm 119:165).

Baby #3

No, I am not pregnant (in fact, my 2nd period since pre-carter arrived today), but we've been discussing baby #3 as of recent and when we would -like- to have said baby.

A few things to note:
1. I would like 2+ years between Carter and his next sibling but no more than 3 years. My last pregnancy was just so devestatingly hard for me emotionally and physically I would like a little more time to 'forget it' lol. Also I want TIME with Carter. Often I feel middle kids have it hard enough sometimes, let alone throw another sibling in right away. If I can -choose- I would like to keep our gapping the same.
2. Michael never really has an opinion on the matter, just does what I say...so this decision unfairly lays in my lap.
3. Logan wants a sister next LOL
4. We are not using any form of protection aside from staying clear  of"fertile" times of the month. Pre LOGAN we used the pill, but ever since him we have not - between nursing and miscarrying and the ectopic pregnancy we have just been lucky as far as being able to have the 2yr3mo gap between Logan & Carter.

Okay, the real reason I blogged this blog was to just share a funny piece of information. As some of you know, my husband is more on the 'punkish' side of things, and he has always thought it'd be cool to have a Halloween baby. Well, that would conveniently be a 2yr2mo gap, and with the way my cycles are at the 1st of the month, I could technically have a due date of Nov 8th if I were to become pregnant in February of this coming year. lol Anyways, that is the -start- of when I want to become pregnant as far as timeing goes. So wish us luck we make til minimum Feb :) I of course will love and cherish a child if he/she came sooner than that...and ideally I would much rather have a baby in the months of Feb/Mar through June as I prefer SPRING babies (now that i've had a spring and a fall) but I am trying not to be picky about that :) hehe